Franchises have to submit their retention picks on or before November 15.
The retention talks have started buzzing as the IPL 2026 retention deadline is inching closer. The franchises are eager to rope in key players from other squads while finalising their core team ahead of the mini auction in December. Amidst this, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are likely to release two of their spinners, who could garner attention from multiple teams.
The franchise had spent a huge amount of INR 11 crore to retain their star spinner, Ravi Bishnoi. But the 25-year-old failed to live up to his potential in the last two editions of the cash-rich league. In 2024, the bowler had bagged 10 scalps in 14 matches, at a decent economy of 8.77.
But in the following season, he managed only nine wickets in 11 matches, conceding runs at a high rate of 10.83. His expensive spells and the lack of claiming crucial breakthroughs had also resulted in his omission from the team’s playing XI towards the business end of the tournament.
On the other hand, Manimaran Siddharth had put up a decent performance in his limited opportunities. The Tamil Nadu player represented LSG in just five matches across the last two editions. The 27-year-old improved his debut season stats. After managing his solitary scalp in three IPL 2024 matches, the bowler took two in two in the IPL 2025. But his impressive economy of 7.88 also witnessed a leap to 9.57.
However, if released, both of them are likely to receive attention from several teams, including the reigning champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The management had roped in the former KKR leg-spinner, Suyash Sharma, for INR 2.6 crore. The bowler maintained an economy of 8.83, while he managed eight wickets in 14 matches.
Following the sub-par outing, RCB are unlikely to include Suyash in their IPL 2026 retention list. Instead, they might opt for roping in any of the LSG released spinners to pair with their key all-rounder, Krunal Pandya.
The 2025 runners-up, Punjab Kings (PBKS), might also be interested in acquiring their former player Bishnoi. The team is also expected to release their marquee spinner, Yuzvendra Chahal, whom they bought for a mammoth amount of INR 18 crore. The Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) might also be keen to acquire these LSG spinners to replace Wanindu Hasaranga and Adam Zampa in their IPL 2026 squads, respectively.
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But the spin department of LSG would be weakened by these two releases ahead of the IPL 2026. Though debutant Digvesh Rathi had grabbed the headlines in the IPL 2025, his recent performances in the domestic leagues, including the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025, have been concerning.
After back-to-back seventh-place finishes on the points table, the team would be eager to make a strong comeback in the following edition. However, irrespective of LSG’s decision regarding the two spinners, the franchise would look to strengthen their pool of spin bowlers in the upcoming IPL 2026 auction.
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